The other week, I reviewed Nancy Twigg's great book From Clutter to Clarity: Simplifying Life from the Inside Out. In addition to this book, Nancy has also written Celebrate Simply: Your Guide to Simpler, More Meaningful Holidays and Special Occasions; and A Month of Mites: 31 Devotionals on Simple Christian Living. Nancy has graciously agreed to answer my questions, and the interview is below.
Nancy, you seem to have a mission to live simply. Could you please share with us how you were led to such a mission?
I have always been interested in simplicity, but that inclination to live simply became a necessity to live simply in 1997 when my husband, Michael and I both left our jobs to begin working at home. The initial plan was not for both of us to quit; I planned to stay at my job. But when my already stressful job became intolerable, we agreed it was best for me to quit, too. As we learned more and more about being good stewards of our resources and keeping our lives focused on what is most important, I felt called to begin sharing what we had learned. That "sharing" took the form of writing and speaking.
In addition to being a published author, you have created two Internet ministries: Creative Frugality and Counting the Cost. Please tell us about these websites.
The Creative Frugality is really just a hobby site. In fact, it is actually being phased out and will soon be replaced with my new work-in-process, Frugal-Living-Tips.net . CountingtheCost.com is my main Internet presence. Counting the Cost began as a printed newsletter. I started it in 1998 when I began feeling called to help others live simply too. After almost 3 years as a print publication, Counting the Cost became a free, twice-a -month email newsletter in August, 2000. The website is simply an extension of the newsletter. All the great reader tips as well as the back issues of the newsletter get posted online.
Did From Clutter to Clarity grow out of these two ministries?
Yes and no. My first book, Celebrate Simply, definitely got its start in my newsletter. I had addressed the ideas of simplifying holidays, saving money on gifts, etc., many times in Counting the Cost. My second book—a self-published book called, A Month of Mites: 31 Devotions on Giving God Your Very Best—also started there because it is a collection of all the "Scripture Thought" columns that ran each month in the printed newsletter. When I wrote From Clutter to Clarity, I definitely drew on all of my experiences with living simply but I believe that book would have been written with or without Counting the Cost.
How did you first begin speaking and writing? Which came first for you?
I have been speaking all my life—I helped teach children’s Sunday School classes and VBS when I was still a child myself! Also my church had a wonderful program called "Lads to Leaders/Lasses to Leaders" that helped young people learn at an early age to speak in front of groups of people. However, my "professional" speaking began after I wrote my first book. The first edition of Celebrate Simply was self-published (later republished by Kregel Publications). To promote the book, my family traveled all over the eastern part of the country. I spoke for free anywhere they’d let me sell books. After a year or so of that, I began to actually get invitations to speak for a fee or honorarium.
What advice would you give to aspiring writers?
I would say, "Just do it." In other words, find a way—any way—to use your writing to bless others. When I first began Counting the Cost, I wasn’t thinking about writing a book. But now, ten years later I have written three books and had freelance articles published in national magazines. At the time I was just finding a way to use my gifts for God’s glory. With the prominence of blogging and self-publishing these days, it is easier than ever before to share your message for the world. Keep writing. Keep blessing others with your gift. Eventually God will open doors for you to reach bigger and bigger audiences.
You homeschool your daughter. What do you find most challenging about homeschooling? What do you find the most rewarding?
We are "part-time" homeschoolers. Lydia is part of a homeschool co-op that meets three mornings a week. I teach her at home (following the teacher’s lesson plan) the other two mornings each week. The biggest challenge for us is that our personalities (mine and Lydia’s) are so different. I am a focus, get-it-done kind of person. I want to check each thing off my To Do list so I can get on with the rest of my day. Lydia tends to be more spontaneous and less focused. Unlike me, she is not driven by a need to accomplish! We clash sometimes when I feel she is moving at a snail’s pace and she feels I am steamrolling over her as I try to plow ahead. The most rewarding times come when we really connect and enjoy the process of learning together. On those occasions when I am able to plug in to her preferred learning style with a particular activity or lesson, the difference is amazing. I have no trouble keeping her on task because she has so much fun.
Nancy has graciously agreed to provide a copy of From Clutter to Clarity (her last copy from the publisher, no less!) for one of you!
Just leave a comment, either telling us about a way that you have found to live simply, or telling us why you feel the need to live more simply. I will draw a winner on Saturday, September 13.
I just wanted to report that the Women's Retreat was a great success! We had 74 women at the retreat, of diverse ages (from teenagers through nonagenarians). How often do any of us take the time to sit and meditate? We may take time out to pamper our physical bodies, but we just don't do that for our spirits. We remedied that this weekend!
